The Lady's Book of Useful and Ornamental Knitting and Netting Work by Miss Ronaldson

The digitized netting book for this week comes to us through Google Books.  I really appreciate the efforts that are being made to put these older books on-line for all to access.  Years ago, when I was trying to find netting patterns, if the book was not in your local library, you were unable to see it.  Now, with a few key strokes I can view so many.  The version of The Lady's Book of Useful and Ornamental Knitting and Netting Work by Miss Ronaldson that is on-line was published in 1847.

The netting patterns she includes are:

1. Netted Flower-Stand with a Frill (page 80, item #43)
2. Small Netted Stand for a Glass of Flowers (page 81, item #44)
3. Another Small Netted Stand  (page 82, item #45)
4. Netted Ribbon for the Neck (page 83, item #46)
5. Very Pretty Netted Scarf (page 84, item #47)
6. Netted Cover for a Salver (page 85, item #48)
7. Netted Window Curtain (page 86, item #49)
8. Netted Pie Napkin (page 87, item #50)
9. Round Netted Wine Rubber (page 88, item #51)
10. Netted Wine Rubbers (page 89, item # 520)
11. Handsome Netted Shawl (page 90, item #53)
12. Netted Cuffs, with a Frill (page 90, item #54)
13. A Very Pretty Netted Scarf (page 91, item #55)
14. Handsome Netted Tippet (page 164, item #98)
15. Long Netted Window Curtains for a Drawing Room (page 165, item #99)
16. Netted Victorine (page 174, item #104)

Miss Ronaldson used several different names for items we would probably call a doily.  They included a stand, cover, napkin, and rubber.  She had patterns for a tippet, which is a narrow stole or scarf, and a victorine, which is a tippet with long narrow ends.  She did include an illustration of the Netted Victorine in the book.

This week I finished a beaded snood or hairnet, the one on the left.  

Unlike the other beaded snoods I have made recently, this one is supposed to cover all the hair.

The one on the left uses 6mm beads, while the one on the right uses 4mm beads.

(See more information about this snood.)

Knitting, Crochet, and Netting by Mlle. Riego De La Branchardiere

It's been a while since the book I selected had the word netting in the title.  Knitting, Crochet, and Netting by Mlle. Riego De La Branchardiere does that.  There is another digital copy of her book located here.  Both copies were published in 1846.

Here are the patterns that she included for netting.

1. Anti-Macassar (page 89)
2. D'Oyley (page 90)
3. Bread Basket D'Oyley (page 90)
4. Netted Purse (page 90)
5. Purse for a Lady (page 91)
6. Bead Purse  (page 91)
7. Wedding Purse with Motto (page 92)
8. Plain Purse with Motto (page 93)

I have some Great News!  The Circular Netting class at Rita's Netting Nook is ready for students!

Look at the projects included. See which videos, patterns, and handouts are available.  Find what supplies you will need.

To register for the class, either go to Rita's Netting Nook and scroll down to the bottom of the page, or go to the registration page.

Like the other classes, this one is $35.00, you can start immediately, and you can take as long as you like to finish the class.

Parlour Recreations for Ladies

When I went to the shelf where I keep my netting books I picked Parlour Recreations for Ladies at random. This book does not have an author or compiler listed.  It was published in London in 1848 by Wm. S. Orr and Co.   Parlour Recreations for Ladies has a wide range of netting instructions including several stitches and directions for adding beads to netting.  It contains a variety of patterns for net purses, shawls, and mittens as well as unique items like a netted toilet cover, sofa guard, mat, curtains, and  vase stand.

1. Remarks on Netting (page 77)
2. Bead Stitch (page 77)
3. Patterns for purses (page 78)
4. Another Pretty Pattern (page 78)
5. Stitch adapted for Curtain (page 78)
6. Netted Toilet Cover (page 79)
7. Sofa Guard (page 79)
8. Puff Netting (page 79)
9. Netted Bag in Shaded Silk (page 79)
10. Best Method of Closing a Purse (page 80)
11. Honeycomb Netting (page 80)
12. Mitten (page 85)
13. Another Pattern, Suitable for a Purse or Mitten (page 85)
14. A Pattern Suited for Mittens (page 85)
15. Netted Bag (page 86)
16. Strong Netting for Purses (page 87)
17. Netted Sovereign Purse - Albert Blue Twist and Good Beads (page 87)
18. Splendid Purse Netted (page 87)
19. Lady's Netted Plain Purse (page 88)
20. Seam Purse, with Beads (page 88)
21. Netted Purse in Squares, Beads in the Center of Each Square (page 89)
22. Netted Mat (page 91)
23. Netted Shawl (page 92)
24. Netted Vase Stand (page 94)
25. Netted Shawl in Stripes (page 94)

Today someone asked me about a pattern for a net laundry bag.  When I went looking for my instructions I realized that I had not yet displayed that particular feature of netting.  Eventually I found three patterns (written so I would be the only person to understand what was meant).  

Here are old pictures for two of the bags.  The one on the left is supported from the door by a plastic circular hoop.

The one on the right is supported from the door by a system of double bars.

Either one would work with the top fastened around the top of a plastic laundry hamper or just tossed on the floor in a corner.

Now I'm off to a local hardware store for cord to make them again to be sure my directions are correct.  I know that they are all three done in circular netting.  I hope before I have these patterns ready, my Circular Netting Class will be available for people to learn how to net rounds instead of rows.

Knitter's Friend by Mrs. Hope

I discovered that I have links to two books named The Knitter's Friend.  One is by Mrs. Gaugain and the other is by Mrs. Hope.  They both contain netting patterns.  I wrote about The Knitter's Friend by Mrs. Gaugain almost a month ago.  Today I picked up The Knitter's Friend by Mrs. Hope.  It was published about 1847.

There are instructions for 10 different items related to netting.

1. Stirrup for Netting   (page 44) - This is what I would call a tension device.
2. Plain Netted Purse   (page 78)
3. Rounded Neckerchief   (page 82)
4. Invalid's Supporter   (page 84)
5. Double Netted Shawl   (page 85)
6. Circassian Cap   (page 86 - picture included)
7. Front of an Upright Piano, or A Window Blind   (page 88)
8. Cardinal Cape (page 90)
9. Bottle Stand   (page 93)
10. Round Netted Doyley   (page 94)

I recently made two long snoods with staggered beads.  One was with 6 mm glass beads and brown thread.

The other was made with 6 mm beads that were much lighter than glass.  The red beads were netted with black thread.

If the hair color matches the thread color of the snood, the netting vanishes into the hair and only the beads are left to be seen.  

I finally finished all the projects for my Circular Netting class, photographed them, and put them up on Rita's Netting Nook.  I purposely created many smaller projects so those taking the class would be able to practice starting net circles without getting bored.  

The Work-Table Magazine or Church and Decorative Needlework (vol 1) by Mrs. Mee and Miss Austin

Last week I entered a list of net items contained in Mee's Companion to the Worktable.  Because of that, I thought this week I should look into what was in The Work-Table Magazine or Church and Decorative Needlework (vol 1).  This book is by Mrs. Mee and Miss Austin.  The copy that is online was published in 1847.

1. Doily (page 19)
2. Diamond Netting (page 24)
3. Grecian stitch open (page 33)
4. Curtains, in stripes of small and large diamonds (page 39)
5. Purse - simple and elegant pattern (page 46)
6. Purse, with beads (page 57)
7. Mat (page 64)
8. Shawl - novel and exquisite pattern (page 73)
9. Chair cover (page 123)
10. Necktie (page 133)

This week I finished the last three bookmarks for my circular netting class.  I used tatting thread for these samples, but I could have also used size 30 crochet thread.

When I showed my bookmarks to some friends, I was surprised to learn that they would not use them for bookmarks.  I was told they were too fancy.  Do you agree?

This bookmark has the small tier circle at the top.  The length is done in English Netting or Honeycomb Stitch.

I could have ended in a point, but I decided to use up the last of the thread with a tassel instead.

I love the cubes that are formed.

This bookmark uses the small circle Web at the top.

The length of the bookmark is the same one used earlier for the bookmark Magic.  It combines the Plain Stitch and the Beet Stitch and ends in a point.

I could have put a tassel on this bookmark, but chose not to do so (I had enough thread left to make another one).

This bookmark uses the small circle Well at the top.  It combines the Plain Stitch and the Shield Stitch to create the length.

Here also I could have ended with a point, but again I chose to use up the thread with a tassel.

Mee's Companion to the Worktable by Cornelia Mee

This week I decided to choose another book by Cornelia Mee from my list of online netting books.  Mee's Companion to the Worktable was published in 1845.   Here are the 8 net patterns that she included:

1. For a Netted Cardinal (page 8)
2. Netted Shawl (page 19)
3. Netted Shawl in Crossbars (page 20)
4. Netted Flower Stand (page 35)
5. Pretty and Simple Netted Opera Cap (page 56)
6. Pretty simple Netted Cap for wearing under a Bonnet (page 112)
7. Very Pretty Net Purse (page 126)
8.   Pretty Netted Purse, with Rows of Honeycomb between (page 127)

Again I've come across a word that has a new meaning for me.  The very first pattern listed is a netted cardinal.  Now I know that a bird is a cardinal, as is a high church official in the Roman Catholic Church.  I know it is a color, and that it has a mathematical meaning.  But I did not see how any of these could be involved in a piece of netting.   So I checked the dictionary.  One dictionary also defines it as "a woman's short cloak with a hood, originally made of scarlet cloth and popularly worn in the 18th century," while another dictionary gives the definition as "a woman's hooded shoulder cape worn in the 17th and 18th centuries."  Now that definition makes sense when used in connection with netting.

This week I also starched some net bookmarks.  The patterns to these bookmarks will be included in my Circular Netting class.

Candle small circle is used.

Floweret small circle is used.

I have tried to have some quick and useful patterns included with the Circular Netting class.


You'll notice that this candle bookmark is a different color than the other one I made.

Tops small circle is used.

Plain small circle is used.

The small circles can be used for bookmarks, hot pads, and lacy insets for acrylic coasters.

Manual of Knitting by Mrs. Mee and Miss Austin

I find it strange that a book devoted to knitting would contain a single netting pattern but Manual of Knitting by Mrs. Mee and Miss Austin does just that.  I wonder which woman designed the netting pattern.  This book was published around 1860.

This book contains a pattern (page 10, item 7) for making a Netted Jupon.

Since I had no idea what a jupon is and there is no picture of the finished product, I decided to use a dictionary.

Most of the definitions were similar: "a short close-fitting sleeveless padded garment, used in the late 14th and early 15th centuries with armour"

I liked this one because it included how to pronounce the word.

But somehow I could not see this definition matching something made with netting.  Then I found a dictionary which included a second definition: "A petticoat."  That made more sense.


This week I also took the time to double check netting instructions for making small circles.  The directions will be included in my circular netting class.

I wanted to have something that was small enough that it could be made quickly.  This way the students could practice several times, instead on only once or twice, the techniques that start a piece of circular netting.  I also wanted to include a variety of stitches so the different techniques for starting rounds could be practiced.

These patterns can be used in making hot pads, bookmarks, or inserts into acrylic coasters.  It just depends on the size of the thread and mesh sticks used.